Enter our The Singer and The Song contest

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EVERY budding musician dreams of laying down their songs in a professional recording studio.

Now young unsigned bands and solo artists from the Portsmouth area can win this as part of the prize in The Singer and The Song.

Last week, The News announced that we are teaming up with Portsmouth Festivities to give local acts a leg-up in the music industry with a contest to find the best local acts.

Today we can reveal that, along with the chance to play on the Wedgewood Rooms stage in Southsea, have a professional photoshoot and have their song played on the radio, the winner of The Singer and The Song will also get to use a professional recording studio in Lewes for a day.

The winning act will get to record and mix two songs and be given CDs to take home, as well as learning about how recording studios work, the recording process, and getting some valuable tips and advice on using studios and developing home recording techniques.

The prize includes the help of a recording engineer and travel expenses. Plus, songwriter and music producer Tobin Prinz will be on hand to help out.

Tobin is a member of the band Prinzhorn Dance School who are signed to New York record label DFA Records, part of Universal Music.

He lived in Portsmouth in the 1990s, making his first recordings and playing his first live gigs in the city.

Not only will he be joining our winners in the studio to help them record their tracks, but he’s also joined the judging panel for the live final.

He said: ‘I’m really happy to be involved.

‘Music has given me some amazing experiences. I love being on tour, seeing the world.

‘But it’s not all a bed of roses. The music industry can be a tough place. So if I can share any of my experiences, and give any advice, I’m more than happy to help.

‘And I’m really looking forward to working with one of the acts in the recording studio.’

The Singer And The Song is open to groups and solo artists of any genre providing they are aged 17 to 25, live in The News circulation area, are unsigned and have at least three tracks of their own material.

The top eight acts, chosen by our readers and a panel of expert judges, will go through to perform in a live final at the Wedgewood Rooms on June 23 – appearing on the same stage that has hosted such stars as Oasis and Jake Bugg.

How to enter

You jmust be aged 17-25, unsigned and living in The News circulation area. You must also have at least three tracks of your own material and be available for the final at the wedgewoods Rooms on June 23.

Simply upload the video or sound file to YouTube and then email the link along with your name, address, age and a daytime contact number to features@thenews.co.uk by midnight on May 17, 2013